Will Durant’s first book analyses the ‘social problem’ that he identifies as the gap between the rich and poor. He proposes that knowledge is the answer to this issue and suggests that philosophy is the key to this knowledge.Philosophy and the Social Problem is Will Durant’s 1917 work arguing the importance of philosophical thought within societal functions and government organisations. He refers to Socrates, Plato, Francis Bacon, and Baruch Spinoza’s idea...

“...So much of our lives is meaningless, a self-cancelling vacillation and futility; we strive with the chaos about us and within; but we would believe all the while that there is something vital and significant in us, could we but decipher our own souls. We want to understand; ‘life means for us constantly to transform into light and flame all that we are or meet with’...”The Story of Philosophy (1926) is a groundbreaking work of creative nonficti...

This brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the world's great philosophers—Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Nietzsche, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James, and Dewey—is "a delight" (The New York Times) and remains one of the most important books of our time.Will Durant chronicles the ideas of the great thinkers, the economic and intellectual environments which influenced them, and the personal ...

A concise survey of the culture and civilization of mankind, The Lessons of History is the result of a lifetime of research from Pulitzer Prize–winning historians Will and Ariel Durant.With their accessible compendium of philosophy and social progress, the Durants take us on a journey through history, exploring the possibilities and limitations of humanity over time. Juxtaposing the great lives, ideas, and accomplishments with cycles of war and conquest, t...

The purpose of this essay is to show: first, that the social problem has been the basic concern of many of the greater philosophers; second, that an approach to the social problem through philosophy is the first condition of even a moderately successful treatment of this problem; and third, that an approach to philosophy through the social problem is indispensable to the revitalization of philosophy.

Originally published in 1926, ‘The Story of Philosophy’ profiles several prominent Western philosophers and their ideas, written by Will Durant, an American writer, historian, philosopher, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. In this enlightening and eminently readable book, Will Durant accounts the lives, ideas and views of various critical philosophical thinkers throughout history. Starting with Socrates and Plato and concluding with Friedrich Nietzsche, with twelve other distinguished p...

Philosophy has often seemed like the castor oil of the disciplines: healthy, but never pleasurable, and best when swallowed quickly and forgotten.Although this view is understandable, it is regrettable. It isolates intelligent readers from some of the most important thought of Western civilization, much of which underlies our understanding of reality, whether we know it or not.Will Durant’s classic Story of Philosophy is a welcome remedy for this m...

The Story of Philosophy was first published in 1926, with modest expectations that were soon outgrown. In a few years, it sold 2 million copies. To this day, it is still capturing new readers in America and has found many abroad in translations into Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, French, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, and Swedish.Durant provides an immensely astute, clear, and ...

“I cannot imagine anyone so erudite that they cannot learn a great deal from this monumental work.” —from the foreword by Richard SmoleyThe great series The Story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant is one of the most monumental achievements in historical writing. In its eleven massive volumes, it tells the story of Western civilization from its origins to the age of Napoleon.This volume, The Climax of Christianity, is taken ...

“A cerebrally enjoyable survey, written with great clarity and touches of wit… The non-western section throws up some fascinating revelations.” —Sunday TimesWill Durant’s 'The Story of Philosophy', first published in 1926, is an engaging and accessible introduction to the lives and ideas of history’s greatest philosophers. Covering thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, and Nietzsche, Durant explores how their personal experiences shaped their philosophical contributio...

The British Empire is unique in world history. How did this small island come to rule a full quarter of the globe? No other nation has matched this achievement.The British Empire evolved over centuries, but it began to blossom in its greatest age: the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I (from 1558 to 1603) and King James I (from 1603 to 1625). Despite bitter religious struggles within and threats from nations such as Spain without, this era not only sowed the seeds of the ...

In "Will Durant on Philosophical Pessimism and Individualism," the brilliant philosopher-historian, Will Durant, explores the intricate landscapes of pessimism and individualism as embodied in the philosophies of Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche. Durant's rich narrative weaves together the profound insights and complex worldviews of these thinkers, shedding light on the depths of human existence and the relentless search for meaning. This compilation serves as a thought-provokin...